An Astute Observation

...from a resident:

"My brief summary of the Master Water Plan review process over the past 15 months:

In the fall of 2014, a referendum was held to approve funding for the GVW's 2012 MWP.  That referendum proposal was soundly defeated.

GVW management and elected municipal officials claimed the public didn't understand, and later admitted enough may not have done to inform the public.

In response to continued pressure to review and revise the MWP, a SAC was formed.

SAC members were selected based on their lack of involvement in developing the MWP.

All information and facts provided to assist the SAC in their review came from GVW staff and the consultant who prepared the MWP; no independent experts were allowed to contribute.

SAC was told they could only review and make recommendations on non-cost topics, even though the SAC was formed in response to a failed funding referendum:

Domestic water customers lost an ally when a "voting technicality" was implemented by the Regional District and GVAC removed Gyula Kiss.  Conveniently for GVW, he was replaced with a director who is more compliant to being led by bureaucrats.

To further ensure the desired SAC response, GVW and the elected officials leading the SAC focused the SAC members on choosing wording for non-cost evaluation criteria; lest SAC try to get into the substance of the MWP - like maintenance & construction, operation, infrastructure, water rates, domestic vs agricultural use, water supply, water treatment, etc., etc.

While the SAC review was underway, GVW carried on with projects and expenditures consistent with the MWP, as if the referendum had never occurred and there was no review.

The exercise is now almost over and it is seems certain that GVW, and the associated elected officials will proclaim "An extensive review of the 2012 MWP by a large and diverse SAC has found no need for substantive change".   

The foregoing is a sad statement about abilities and responsiveness of our local government bureaucracy where elected officials and staff are supposed to act in the best interest of the rate paying customers and the voting public."   Anonymous

A note to GVW's water customers!

"Duty of care is sadly missing," offers Kia.

The North Okanagan's elected officials have abandoned their duty to care about their residents.